Lock for laundry extractor covers



Feb. 25, 1958 E. E. SMITH 2,

LOCK FOR LAUNDRY EXTRACTOR COVERS Filed June 15, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent LOCK FOR LAUNDRY EXTRACT OR COVERS Ermon E. Smith,Pomona, Calif.

Application June 13, 1955, Serial No. 514,955

Claims. (Cl. 210-360) My present invention is a safety lock for laundryextractor covers. It is one object of the invention to provide a safetylock for laundry extractor covers which particularly is adapted toprevent one from opening the extractor cover while the reticulatecylinder of the extractor is rotating.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a safety devicefor laundry extractors which is adapted to lock the cover of theextractor in the closed position during operation of the extractor andincludes a fluid transmission means for actuating the lock duringoperation of the extractor.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a safety devicefor laundry extractors which comprises a minimum number of parts whichmay be assembled with facility, are inexpensive and not liable to getout of working condition.

These and other important objects of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following de scription.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts I have shownthe preferred embodiment of my present invention for the purpose ofillustration, to facilitate understanding of the invention, and they arenot for the purpose of limitation as I desire that the invention beconstrued broadly, limited only by the recitations present in theappended claims and required by the prior art.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a laundry extractor including mysafety lock mechanism;

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing a fragment of the laundry extractorincluding the safety lock mechanism constituting the subject matter ofthe present invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical elevation upon an enlarged scale andshowing the rotatable reservoir and supporting bracket;

Figure 4 is a view upon a further enlarged scale taken diametricallythrough the reservoir substantially on the plane indicated at line 4--4of Figure 3; and,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the fluid reservoir and the bracket.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing I have disclosed alaundry extractor which is of conventional construction well known tothose skilled in the art and which includes a reticulate rotatablecylinder (not shown) mounted for rotation within the stationary casing11 which has an opening 12 at its upper end covered by means of aclosure 13 hinged at 14 to the casing 11. A prime mover, power supply ormotor 15 is fixed relative to the casing 11 and, as here shown, is anelectric motor having an armature 16 disposed in a vertical axis, andenergizes the extractor driving mechanism (not shown) associated withthe lower end of the armature and extending through a housing 17associated with the casing 11.

At its upper end the armature 16 is provided with a cylindrical fluidreservoir 18 open at its upper end at 19 and as seen particularly inFigure 4 the reservoirv 18 is provided with an externally threaded stud20 and a lock nut 20a. The upper end of the armature 16 is provided withan internal bore threaded to receive the stud 20. In actual practice thestud 20 is united to the armature of the motor 15 by means of aninternally threaded sleeve at 16.

Secured relative to the casing 11 on the motor 15 I provide a bracket 21which it will be seen is actually anchored by means of bolts or otherfastening means to the motor at 22 and housing at 23.

At its free end the bracket 21 carries a sleeve 24 welded thereto withits axis disposed vertically. It will be seen in Figures 4 and 5 thatthe upper end 25 of the sleeve 24 has been distorted into an ellipticalshape.

Extending longitudinally through the sleeve 24 I provide a vertical arm26 which has its upper end portion 27 extending upwardly from the sleeve24 and its lower end portion 28 extending downwardly from the sleeve 24and into the reservoir 18. Intermediate its length the arm 26 isprovided with a horizontally extending journal pin 29 having its endssecured in the sleeve 24 and thereby mounting the vertical arm 27 fortilting movements in a vertical plane parallel to the greatest dimensionof the elliptical upper end 25 of the sleeve 24. It will thus be seenthat the upper end 27 of the arm 26 may tilt within the limits definedby the upper end 25 of the sleeve 24.

The bracket 21 is provided with a bore at 3 and as seen in Figure 3 thearm 26 is movable from, an operative position indicated at 26a whereinthe upper end 27 of the arm is disposed out of registry with the bore 3and to an inoperative position shown at 26b wherein the upper end 27 ofthe arm is disposed in registry with the bore 3.

On its lower end the arm 26 is provided with a blade 31 which is weldedor otherwise secured thereto and extending substantially radiallytherefrom. It will be noted that the blade 31 is provided with a rightangle lip portion 32 which extends from the axis of the arm 26 asuflicient distance to cause the arm 26 to assume a normal gravitationalposition as shown at 26a of Figure 3.

A viscous fluid 33, preferably motor oil, is contained within thereservoir 18 at a level sufficient to act upon the blade 31. It willthus be seen that as the reservoir 18 rotates in the direction of thearrow of Figure 5, fluid in the reservoir 33 will create a pressure onthe blade 31 and cause the arm 26 to tilt from its inoperative position26a to its operative position 26b. It will thus be seen that I haveprovided a fluid transmission adapted to convert the rotary motions ofthe reservoir 18 to the tilting movements of the arm 26.

The fluid transmission above described is provided to actuate the latch34 which is supported for rectilinear movement thronugh a bearing 35carried by the casing 11. As seen in Figures 1 and 2 the latch 34, whenin the locking position is disposed in covering relation to the hinge14, and thus prevents actuation of the hinge to open the cover 13. Atits end opposed to the hinge 14 the latch 34 is pivotally connected to amanually operable lever 37.

The lever 37 is provided with a hand knob 38 by means of which anoperator may manually shift the latch out of the operative position intothe inoperative position shown by broken lines of Figure 1.

The lever 37 is rigidly anchored to the upper end of a verticalrock-shaft 39 journaled at 40-40 on the casing 11, and rock-shaft 39 hassecured thereto a rocker arm 41.

At its free end the rocker arm 41 is pivotally connected to thereciprocal rod 42 here shown to have a telescopic portion 43 forpermitting adjustment of the length of the rod 42 and the free end ofthe reciprocal 3 rod 42 is journaled int'he bore 3 of the bracket 21 forreciprocalmovements from the normal full line position of Figure 4 tothe broken line position thereof.

A collar 44 is removably secured to the rod 42 and a compression spring'45encircles"th'e rod and is compressible between the bracket 21 and thecollar 44 to bias the rod 42 to itsnormalposition and in so doing tobais the rocker arm '41, rock-shaft 39, lever 37 and latch 34to theirnormal full line positions of Figure 1.

Inspection of Figure '4 will reveal that the arm 26 clears the end ofthe rod 42 and is therefore tiltable into and out of a position to limitthe movement of the rod to prevent the movement of rod 42 from its fullline position tothebr'oken line position.

It will thus beseen that "when the power supply is rotating fluid 33will actuate the arm 26 to the position26b where it is disposed over theend of the rod 32 and manual application of pressure by means of handle38 to the lever 37 will not remove the latch 34 from the hinge 14 sincethe rod 42 cannot shift longitudinally through the bore 30 because itstrikes against the upper end 27 of the arm 26. When the motor 15 isstopped the arm assumes its normal gravitational position 26a with theupper end 27 disposed in the clear of the rod 42 and it is thereforeshiftable to the broken line position thus permitting the latch 34 to beremoved so that the cover 13 may be opened.

Inspection of Figures 1 and 2 reveal that I have provided a limit switch46 which is in the closed position as seen in the drawings but when therock-shaft 39 is moved to the dotted position the actuating finger 47releases the switch button 48 and opens the switch. The switch 46 isdisposed in the power circuit to the electric motor 15 and it istherefore obvious that when the latch 34 is removed from its lockingposition the switch 45 is opened and it is not possible to turn on themotor 15.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In a safety lock for laundry extractor covers, a fluid reservoir;means for rotating said reservoir on a vertical axis; a viscous fluid insaid reservoir; a vertical arm journaled on a horizontal axis fortilting movement in a vertical plane, and disposed coaxially with saidreservoir, and extending downwardly therein by gravity into said fluid;and a blade fixed on the lower end of said arm to impart tiltingmovement to said arm away from its normal gravitational position bymeans of pressure of said fluid on said blade during rotation of saidreservoir.

2. A safety device'for extractors having a stationary casing providedwith an upper opening and a cover hinged to the casing for said openingand an electric motor for operating saidextractor, comprising a fluidreservoir fixed on a vertical axis for rotation by the movement of thearmature of said motor; a viscous fluid in said reservoir; a bracketfixed to said casing; a vertical arm journaled on a horizontal axis tosaid bracket for tilting movements in a vertical plane and disposedcoaxial with said reservoir and extending downwardly therein into saidfiuid; 'a blade on the lower end of said arm to impart tilting movementto said arm away from its normal gravitational position by means ofpressure on said blade created by said fluid during rotation of saidreservoir; cover locking means carried by said casing and resilientlyurgedinto position locking said cover against opening movements, andincluding a reciprocal rod having its end supported adjacent to theupper end of said arm when in its normal gravitational position by saidbracket, and the upper end of said arm being adapted to move intomovement restricting position with relation to said-rod when moved awayfrom its normal gravitational position.

.' 3. A safety device for laundry extractors having a stationary uprightcasing provided with an open upper end and a cover hinged to the casingfor closing said opening, and an electric motor for driving saidextractor; a reciprocal latch supported on said casing and movable intoand out of locking relationship to said cover; a manually operable leverpivotally connected to said latch, a rock-shaft journaled on said casingand fixed to said lever; a rocker arm fixed to said rock-shaft andextending radially therefrom; a reciprocal rod pivotally interconnectedto the free end of said rocker arm for receiving reciprocal movementduring rocking movement of said rock-shaft; a bracket carried by saidcasing and supporting the free end of said reciprocal rod; a verticalarm journaled on a horizontal axis on said bracket for tilting movementin a vertical plane from a normal position spaced from the axis of saidreciprocal rod to an operative position at the axis of said reciprocalrod, for preventing reciprocal movement thereof; a fluid reservoir fixedon a vertical axis for rotation by the movement of the extractors motorarmature and encircling the lower end of said vertical arm; a blade onthe lower end of said arm extending substantially radially therefrom;and a viscous fluid in said reservoir contacting said blade for tiltingsaid arm to its operative position during rotation of said reservoir.

4. A safety device for laundry extractors having a stationary uprightcasing provided with an open upper end and a cover hinged to the casingfor closing said opening, and an electric motor for driving saidextractor; a reciprocal latch supported on said casing and movable intoand out of locking relationship to said cover; a manually operable leverpivotally connected to said latch, a rock-shaft journaled on said casingand fixed tosaid lever; a rocker arm fixed to said rock-shaft andextending radially therefrom; a reciprocal rod pivotally interconnectedto the free end of said rocker arm for receiving reciprocal movementduring rocking movement of said rock-shaft; a bracket carried by saidcasing andsupporting the free end of said reciprocal rod; a vertical armjournaled on a horizontal axis on said bracket for tilting movement in avertical plane from a normal position spoced from the axis of saidreciprocal rod to an operative position at the axis of said reciprocalrod, for preventing reciprocal movement thereof; a fluid reservoir fixedon a vertical axis for rotation by the movement of the extractors motorarmature and encircling the lower end of said vertical arm; a blade onthe lower end of said arm extending substantially radially therefrom; aviscous fluid in said reservoir contacting said blade for tilting saidarm to its operative position during rotation of said reservoir; and acompression spring encircling said reciprocal rod and resilient meansoperably connected to urge said latch into said locking position.

5. A safety device for laundry extractors havinga stationary uprightcasing provided with an open upper end and a cover hinged to the casingfor closing said opening, and a motor for driving said extractorincluding an electric circuit; a reciprocal latch supported on saidcasing and movable into and outof locking relationship to said cover; amanually operable lever pivotally connected to said latch, a rock-shaftjournaled on said casing and fixed to said lever; a rocker arm fixed tosaid rock-shaft and extending radially therefrom; a reciprocal rodpivotally interconnected to the free end of said rocker arm forreceiving reciprocal movement during rocking movement of saidrock-shaft; a bracket carried by said casing and supporting the free endof said reciprocal rod; a vertical arm journaled on a horizontal axis onsaid bracket for tilting movement in a vertical plane from a normalposition spaced from the axis of said reciprocal rod to an operativeposition at the axis of said reciprocal rod, for preventing reciprocalmovement thereof; a fluid reservoir fixed on a vertical axis forrotation by the movement of the extractors motor armature-and encirclingthe lower end of said vertical arm; a blade on the lower end of said armextending substantially radially therefrom; and a viscous fluid in saidreservoir contacting said blade for tilting said arm to its operativeposition during rotation of said reservoir; a compression springencircling said reciprocal rod and resilient means operably connected tourge said latch into said locking position; and a limit switch in themotor circuit operable to open said circuit when said latch is retractedfrom said cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

